Fall 2020 student welcome
Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
Dear Bruins,
Over the last few months, staff have been planning, preparing, and reimagining every aspect of your student experience to welcome you for the fall quarter. We miss the energy and excitement you bring to campus. As we all adjust to the new rhythms of learning, teaching, conducting research and connecting in a remote environment, we know that these transitions will not be easy. That is why we have prepared a number of resources and programs to help you navigate this year. However, we also need your assistance because your decisions and behaviors affect the entire Bruin community. With your help, we can foster a healthy environment at UCLA.
To navigate your experience throughout the entire academic year, I am excited to share a new support hub. The UCLA Student Digital Guidebook is an evolving resource that is designed to support all students — undergraduate, graduate, and professional, both on and off campus. The guidebook is a place to learn about academic resources and financial support options, access student services, and understand how to build community and stay connected. It is also a platform for you to submit ideas for how we can improve our plans to meet your needs.
If you are coming to campus for class, research, work, dining, studying, or other reasons, there are a few things you will be asked to do:
- If you have COVID-19 symptoms or are feeling sick, stay home and call the Ashe Center COVID-19 Hotline at 310-206-6217 or the After Hours Nurse Line at 310-825-4073.
- Complete the student symptom monitoring survey, each day, prior to arriving to campus. When necessary, you may be asked to present your clearance certificate before entering UCLA facilities.
- Wear a face covering in all public spaces across the university (review the cloth face coverings guidance (PDF) for more information).
- Wash your hands often or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer when washing is not available.
- Maintain six feet of physical distance (PDF) from other people and follow instructions on physical distancing signage throughout campus.
- All in-person gatherings of any size, nonessential meetings and events are currently suspended.
- While orders and guidelines continue to evolve, the current Reopening Safer at Work and in the Community for Control of COVID-19 Health Officer Order FAQ (PDF) document indicates that parties (whether on or off campus) are not allowed.
- For campus updates, you can visit the UCLA COVID-19 Campus Operations webpage.
It is every Bruin’s responsibility to follow and uphold these health and safety behaviors. To support these campus efforts toward reducing the spread of COVID-19, we enlisted a team of Bruin Public Health Ambassadors who will provide education and promote healthy behaviors. As part of our True Bruin Values, accountability will be enforced through the Office of the Dean of Students for Bruins who do not comply with UCLA’s health and safety protocols. For more information about student compliance, please review section three of the Procedures for Compliance and Enforcement of COVID-19 Mitigations (PDF). We understand this is a lot of new information. Please know that we are here to support you at every turn.
As fall quarter is quickly approaching, we look forward to your participation in the various True Bruin Welcome events that will help you discover new communities, make lifelong friends, ignite your passions, uphold our traditions, and enjoy a taste of everything UCLA has to offer. Tune in any time before October 15 to livestream UCLA’s new student welcome, This is Bruin Life. This event features Chancellor Block, current students, and alumni using art and storytelling to share how their UCLA experiences created their Bruin life and how they believe the world ought to be.
I want to thank you for your patience and optimism as we navigate through this experience together. The coronavirus pandemic may have changed aspects of how we connect, but one thing that has not changed is the resilience of the UCLA community.
Go Bruins!
Monroe Gorden, Jr., J.D.
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
